Rowe’s on the crest of a wave

It’s fair to say things couldn’t have gone too much better for London midfielder PJ Rowe since arriving in the city 15 months ago.

The former Kilkenny Under 21 All Ireland winner has picked up Christy Ring and league winner’s medals with the Exiles, as well as a county title with club side St Gabriel’s.

The only blip was Gabriel’s defeat to Clara in the All Ireland Club Intermediate Hurling Championship final, but even that, at the very least, yielded yet another Croke Park final date for Rowe – something he wasn’t expecting when arrived in London in February of last year.

“It’s been going good; you think when you’re coming to London you’ll never see Croke Park again, but we’ve had a good year,” he said.

Of course, no strangers to Croke Park are London’s hurlers. The years prior to Rowe’s arrival had seen the Exiles make three consecutive trips to Croker in the Nicky Rackard Cup. For Rowe, like so many before him, the perception is so very different from the reality.

“I didn’t think it would be as good, but when I went training you make friends with lads and you find out they’re from Kilkenny, Cork, Tipperary and Galway and a lot of them would have played underage with their counties,” said Rowe.